How to Save Money on Gifts (Easy Ways to Save Gifting)

Birthdays. December holidays. Get well wishes. There are many occasions throughout the year it’s customary (and fun!) to give gifts. The only drawback? Gift giving can get expensive.

Here are easy ways on how to save money giving gifts.

Purchase Gifts At Least a Few Weeks Early

Your mom’s birthday might be a month away, but you should buy her gift early to save money. That way, if there’s a sale item that has to be shipped from another store, it’s okay if it takes 3 weeks to come in.

Buy in Bulk

Whenever possible, save money by buying gifts in bulk. For example, if there’s a sale on Ghirardelli chocolates or football fan gear your friends and family would love – do it! Trust me, you’ll end up using them.

Go DIY: Make Gifts

Let’s be real though, buying gifts can cost a lot – even with good deals. There are so many awesome things you can make DIY for little money. Making gifts also allows you to customize them too, so they’re far more personal to your receiver. For example: bake their favorite type of cookies, make luggage tags for someone who loves to travel, create a Sharpie mug (yep, that’s designing a mug…with nothing but a Sharpie you probably already own) or peppermint bark you can make at home.

Make Gifts in Bulk

Make gifts in bulk, such as the peppermint bark described above or the basket idea in the section below. This saves time and money gifting.

Put Together Themed Baskets

Make themed gift baskets, such as ones all about cooking, gardening or playing baseball. A basket could include a subscription to a related magazine, food item (like chocolate covered pretzels) and pair of silly socks that match the theme. Thoughtful, not expensive.

(As suggested in the previous section, buy 10 baskets at once, such as at the Dollar Store, so you have them on hand.)

Don’t Buy Gift Cards at Full Price

Don’t buy gift cards straight from retailers. Instead, purchase them from sites like Cardpool or Gift Card Granny. On these platforms, you can buy gift cards for cheaper rates, such as paying $75 for a $90 gift card to a restaurant. You can also sell gift cards. (Perhaps you were gifted one last year for a store you’ll never go to!)

Go on and see what’s available now. If there are gift cards for places you, your family and your friends love at a good price, don’t wait. Buy them now, in bulk if possible. You’ll save money (and stress) in the long run by having them on hand.

Set a Holiday Budget

Especially around Thanksgiving and December, it’s easy to go into fast spending mode. So you don’t spend $50 extra on that bottle of wine for your neighbor, set a budget at the very beginning of the holiday seasons. From there, break down how much you can reasonably spend on each family member, friend, colleague, etc.

Suggest Secret Santas at Holiday Time

I can guarantee you are not the only person concerned about money spending during the December holidays. Your family and friends may well be thinking the same thing. Save money on gifts and gifting by suggesting a Secret Santa in which each person draws someone else and simply gives one gift. This puts a lot more focus into just one item, often making it far more special and awesome.

How to Gift Party Hosts

Bake or cook your loved specialty instead of bringing a fancy bouquet of flowers or an Edible Arrangement. It’s an easy way to save money on gift giving.

Ask Close Relatives or Friends What They Really Want

Some people may already have a lot, especially as they get older. Maybe there’s something else they’d prefer, a service that will help them and save you money gift giving. For example, they may love:

You to cook or babysit for one night

For someone tech savvy, to get help setting up a computer

For the handy types, to get help repairing something around the house

Give Experiences, Not Items

In the end, we are far more likely to remember experiences than physical gifts. Instead of an expensive toy or jewelry accessory, take someone to a matinee movie. Bring treats to eat inside the theater and then take them out for hot chocolate and/or a nice walk after. This doesn’t only save money on gifts, it sounds really nice, doesn’t it?